About

About St. Paul

Testimonials

I have been attending St. Paul UCC since before I can remember. The many youth activities and missions I was part of while growing up have helped to shape who I am today.

Kara Schmid

“We are thankful for our church which is celebrating 165 years this year. Kevin and I are lucky to have found and were married in St. Paul United Church of Christ.”

Paula Hutchinson

As a church, we can be summed up in one statement:

“No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.”

We here at St. Paul United Church of Christ (UCC) of Columbia, IL, share this philosophy with other UCC churches across the nation.

History

St. Paul was formed over 165 years ago by a group of German Evangelicals looking to continue their belief that a congregation should be open to all who practice Christianity. Together as disciples of Jesus Christ, we worship God and build a better relationship with God and with our neighbors near and far. Members of our congregation are encouraged to be involved in the church and the community at large. We base many of our beliefs on the teachings of St. Paul, who reminds us that there are many gifts and many kinds of ministry, but only one God who gives us our talents and whom we serve.

Your calling may be to serve in the church choir, attend a bible study, volunteer on a Sunday or on a committee, or care for those in great need. We offer a variety of ministries and missions so that everyone has the chance to find their calling.

Beliefs

We believe that there is more that Christians have in common than there is that separates us, leading us to receive people from all Christian traditions with a warm welcome. Thus, we have become “the church with open doors and open arms.”